Phone Calls
by The New York Bear
Summary: This little one shot is how I wish the summer after Harry's 4th year at Hogwarts could have gone - if only someone had used some common sense (which Wizards seem to notoriously lack).


Harry Potter lay on his bed at Number 4 Privet Drive. It was a few weeks into the summer break after his 4th year. What a disaster that had been, with the Tri-Wizard Tournament which had culminated in Cedric Diggory's murder and Lord Voldemort's resurrection. When he tried to tell the Minister for Magic he was not believed. Now here he was back in his "loving" relatives' care.

The worst part was that he had not heard anything from his friends. No owls, no nothing. He had tried owling Ron and Hermione but he got no answers back. He had no idea what was going on and now it seemed like his friends had abandoned him.

As he was thinking these gloomy thoughts he heard the phone ring downstairs. After a few rings he heard his Aunt Petunia answer.

"Hello, Dursley Residence" she said. There was a short pause and then –

"NO!" he heard his aunt say, "There's no one by that name here! Don't you dare call here again!" and Harry heard her slam the phone down. By now he was sitting up and quite alert. Who could that have been? Remembering how Uncle Vernon had reacted two years ago when Ron tried calling him on the phone he started to wonder if the call was for him.

The phone rang again. Harry opened the door to his room so he could hear better. Maybe it was the same person.

And so it seemed to be because almost as soon as Petunia had answered the phone and said "Hello" she slammed it back down again.

Harry was really intrigued now. He wondered if there would be another call.

There was. But this time Petunia refused to answer it. After about 4 rings it went to the Dursley answering machine. After hearing the standard "we're not hear" outgoing message the tone rang and the voice on the other end began to speak.

"Mrs. Dursley it was very rude of you to hang up on me twice." Harry knew the voice at once. It was Hermione, and she sounded pissed.

"I know who you are" continued Hermione's voice, "you're Harry's aunt and you have custody of him during the summer. Now you listen here. I know very well Harry lives at your house and that he is most likely there right now. I'm going to hang up and call again after a few seconds. And you'd better let me speak to Harry when I do. If you don't then I will call the police and report a potential case of child abuse. Harry has told me you worry about what your neighbors think. Well what do you think they'll think about seeing the police showing up at your door? And don't think I'm bluffing because I'm not. Good-bye Mrs. Dusley. When I call again I do hope you'll make the right decision."

The message ended. Harry was torn between shock and laughter. NO ONE talked to his aunt that way and got away with. Yet somehow he was not surprised that if any of his friends would try it would be Hermione. He looked over the landing railing and was able to see Petunia standing by the phone looking incredibly pale

And less than a minute later the phone did ring again. Harry retreated back into his room but kept the door open.

"How dare you threaten me!" he heard Petunia say before she suddenly went silent. Then suddenly she turned and yelled up the stairs.

"Boy! Get down here!"

Harry quickly came down the stairs. Petunia held the phone out to him.

"It's one of your freak friends" she snarled, "get rid of her as quickly as you can."

She handed the phone to Harry who grabbed it like it was a lifeline.

"Hello?" he said.

"Harry!" Hermione squealed over the phone, "I knew you were there."

"You were right" said Harry, "I heard your message from upstairs. That was some scare you gave Aunt Petunia."

"She deserved it" Hermione growled, "and I wasn't bluffing. Not then, and not for the future either."

"You're going to call again?" asked Harry in a hopeful tone.

"Of course" said Hermione, "you're my friend."

"You have no idea how good it is to hear your voice" said Harry, "I've been all alone here. No one has contacted me at all ab out anything."

"I know" said Hermione, "Dumbledore told everyone not to contact you."

"But why?" asked Harry.

"Two reasons" said Hermione, "first because any owls we sent might be intercepted and second, he said that you needed time alone to grieve Cedric's death."

"What?!" said a flabbergasted Harry, "and you're going against him. I thought you adored the headmaster!"

"I know" said Hermione, "But in this case he is dead wrong. Oh, maybe his first reason has some truth to it, but his second reason? That's the biggest load of bollocks I've ever heard!"

"Whoa!" said Harry, shocked to hear his friend swear, "you must be really mad."

"You have no idea" said Hermione, "Harry, cutting you off from all contact after such a traumatic event as what you went through is probably the worst thing he could do. You need your friends, at the very least to have someone to talk to. When my grandma died several years ago I was devastated. If my parents hadn't been there it would have been a lot worse. I don't care what Dumbledore said. This time he's wrong."

"So you used the telephone" said Harry with a chuckle, "the Headmaster didn't try to stop you?"

"He doesn't know" said Hermione, "and he's not going to find out either."

"What about the Death Eaters?"

"What about them? Almost all of them are from Pure Blood families. What do they know about muggle things? A lot of them think muggles are too stupid to even consider. I bet most of the Death Eaters won't even know what a telephone is." This made Harry laugh.

"You're right" he said, "of course you are. You're Hermione Granger!"

"Oh you" Hermione said in amusement, "anyway I just want you to know that we're here for you."

"We?"

"Ron is here with me and he wants to talk to you too" said Hermione, "I invited him over for the day just so we could do this."

"Thank You!" said Harry.

"I'm putting you on speaker phone" said Hermione, "so you can hear both of us."

There was a click and then Hermione said "Harry, can you hear me?"

"Loud and clear" said Harry.

"Good. Here's Ron."

"Hey mate" came the voice of Ron Weasley into Harry's ear.

"Ron!" said Harry, "I am so glad to hear your voice."

"Likewise" said Ron, "I wanted to owl you a couple of weeks ago but mum wouldn't let me. I didn't know what to do, and then Hermione contacted me about a day visit and mum allowed me go. As soon as I arrived at Hermione's house she told me about her plan to call you. I could have smacked myself when she said it. I've had your phone number all this time and I never thought to use it."

"But your house doesn't have a phone" said Hermione.

"No, but there's one down in the village" said Ron, "that's the one I used to call Harry two years ago."

"Oh I remember that" said Harry with a grimace.

"Well, now that we're together again" said Hermione, "Harry how are you holding up?"

"A lot better now that you two have called" said Harry with feeling, "and very glad that you'll be calling again."

"Right" Hermione said, "let me give you my phone number. I want to hear from you Harry. If two weeks go by without a word between us I will call again, and if I have to I will call the police."

"I believe you" said Harry with a smile.

"Harry" said Ron, "Hermione and I were talking before we called you and we realized we need to find another way to keep in touch that we can keep secret. The phone is good for Hermione but I'm only at her house today. We don't have a phone at the Burrow and if I make too many trips into the village to use the phone mum will get suspicious."

"Hmm, yes" said Harry, "I suppose if you or Ginny or the Twins had anything you needed me to know you could contact Hermione and she could call me."

"That's one way" said Hermione, "but it would be good to have something a little more secure."

"Wait, wait" said Ron, "what about that house elf you freed? What was his name? Dobby? Maybe he could help us. It sounded like he would do anything for you when I saw him."

"Yeah, he does like me" said Harry, "I never thought to try to call him but that is a good idea."

"Just be sure you pay him for his work" said Hermione sternly.

"Of course" said Harry, "I still have some galleons left over from the school year. After we're done I'll see if I can call him."

They talked for several more minutes, just catching up with each other before Harry hung up the phone. He turned to go back to his room only to find his aunt blocking the way.

"That had better be the last time those freaks call here" she said angrily.

"Well it won't be" said Harry firmly, "and Hermione really will call the police if you try to stop me from talking to them."

"Your uncle won't like it" said Petunia.

"I'm sure," said Harry, "but I think he'll like police at the door even less."

Harry was absolutely right. When Vernon heard about Hermione's phone call the only thing that stopped him from blowing a gasket was the threat of police at the door. Since he knew that he had severely mistreated Harry over the years he had to agree to allow the phone calls if only to avoid embarrassment before the neighborhood.

When Harry returned to his room he shut the door.

"Dobby?" he said in a tentative voice. With a loud crack the house elf appeared in the room and threw himself at Harry, embracing his legs.

"The Great Harry Potter calls for Dobby!" he squealed in excitement, "Dobby was so wishing Potter would call on Dobby and now he has. What can Dobby do for the Great Harry Potter Sir?"

"Calm down Dobby" said Harry trying to suppress some laughter, "I'm glad to see you too. I want to hire you to do something for me."

"I would be honored to serve the Great Harry Potter" said Dobby,

"Okay, first of all, please just call me Harry" said Harry, "and secondly..."

Harry explained to Dobby what he, Ron, and Hermione had discussed earlier. Dobby was more than happy to carry letters for Harry and his friends. Harry thanked him and expanded the list to include Ginny, the Twins, and, at the last minute his Godfather Sirius Black.

"The most important part of this" said Harry, "is that no one else know anything about it, not even the headmaster."

"No one be knowing anything about this from Dobby" said the house elf. "House elves serve Hogwarts the school, not the headmaster. Headmaster not able to force Dobby to tell him things he promised not to tell."

So it was agreed. The summer became much better for Harry after that now that he could contact his friends and they could contact him. He talked to Hermione by phone at least once a week and Dobby regularly brought him letters from the others. Sirius in particular was delighted to be able to communicate with his Godson. Harry still had to do plenty of chores around the Dursley house but he found he didn't mind as much now.

And so it went until one day in late July...

"Hermione, Hermione, please answer" said Harry as he listened to the ringing on the other end. After the third ring the phone was answered.

"Granger residence" came Hermione's voice over the line.

"Oh thank God" said Harry

"Harry, what's happened?" asked Hermione with concern.

"There are dementors outside my house" was the answer.

"What!" shrieked Hermione, "how can there be dementors where you are?"

"I don't know" said Harry, "I was just in the garden when I felt them coming. I ran into the house and closed all the doors and windows. They can't actually get to us but they won't leave. They just keep circling the house."

"Are they affecting you at all?"

"No" said Harry, "the house is keeping them out. But Hermione, what do I do? I can't do a Patronus or I'll be cited for underage magic."

"I'll contact the Weasleys" said Hermione, "Ron's dad works for the Ministry. He'll know who to contact."

"Thank you" said Harry, "what would I do without you?"

"Something reckless I'm sure" was the reply, "I'll get right on this. Hopefully it won't take too long."

Harry hung up the phone and went up to his room. From his window he could see the two dementors as they went around the house. He hoped help would come soon.

About 30 minutes later he saw one witch and one wizard apparate into the garden and confront the dementors. The man was black, and the woman wore a monocle over one eye. They both pointed their wands at the dementors.

 _"EXPECTO PATRONUM!"_ the two of them yelled causing two very powerful patronuses to spring out of their wands and rush at the dementors who quickly fled the scene.

Harry ran down the stairs and went out into the garden where the two magicals still stood.

"Harry Potter I presume?" said the woman looking at him sternly.

"Yes" said Harry, "thank you for coming so quickly."

"I had to see this for myself" said the woman, "my name is Amelia Bones, head of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement. My companion is Auror Kingsley Shacklebolt."

"How do you do?" said Harry politely to both of them.

"Are you and your relatives all right, Mr. Potter?" asked Shacklebolt.

"Yes" said Harry, "the house was closed up."

"That probably saved you all" said Madame Bones, "this is a serious matter. No dementors should be outside of Azkaban unless there is a special authorization by the minister himself. Kingsley we're going to have to investigate this."

"I agree" said Shacklebolt.

"Mr. Potter I may want to see you again as a witness to this incident" said Madame Bones.

"Of course" said Harry.

It wasn't much longer after that incident that the Order of the Phoenix came to collect Harry and take him to 12 Grimmauld Place where a happy reunion was had by Harry and his friends and Godfather. And there he stayed for the rest of the summer. Except for one trip to the Ministry of Magic for the trial of one Dolores Umbridge whom, upon investigation by the DMLE, was discovered to have authorized the dementor attack on #4 Privet drive with the express order to have Harry Potter kissed. This was apparently done without the minister's knowledge and at the trial he looked like he wanted to strangle his undersecretary when it all came out. The fallout from Umbridge's conviction forced Cornelius Fudge out of office as Minister and brought about the elevation of Amelia Bones herself as his replacement. She was much more proactive in fighting Voldemort and the dark lord was discovered and eliminated far sooner than he would have been otherwise.

That, as they say, is another story. But all of these positive changes came about simply because Hermione Granger called Harry Potter on the phone during the summer after their 4th year at Hogwarts.

END

 **A/N -** I've seen many complaints over the years about how everyone treated Harry during the summer after 4th year and didn't communicate with him on Dumbledore's order. One of the most frequent complaints is "Why doesn't Hermione use her telephone? It's a muggle device most likely the magicals won't even think of it." So in this story I decided to see what would happen if Hermione DID use her phone to call Harry. I hope none of the characters are too OOC, but this AU after all. I hope you enjoyed this little one shot.


End file.
